A blog designed to facilitate communication about education, teaching, schools, labor issues, social justice, politics and ordinary life. Statements or expressions of opinions herein 'do not' represent the views or official positions of DCPS, American Federation of Teachers, Washington Teachers' Union or its members. Views are my own. Anyone who claims otherwise is violating the spirit and purpose of this blog.

6 Pages

Oct 12, 2010

Breaking News!

Featuring Candi Peterson, blogger in residence and candidate for WTU General Vice President

The Washington Post reports that Chancellor Michelle Rhee will announce on Wednesday that she is resigning at the end of October. Deputy Chancellor Kaya Henderson will serve as the interim Chancellor. What do you think led to Rhee's abrupt resignation?

This is a great start to balancing the budget with a rhee-duction. I pray that she doesn't go to another school district and continue her mass destruction! Where ever she ends up, maybe she'll take George Parker with her. I hope he has his bags packed! WTU is in desperate need for leadership for teachers. Nathan & Candi take charge!!

I wouldn't be surprised if Rhee resigned abruptly because someone discovered something "not right." For example, was it legal to dismiss DC teachers only to hire inexperienced teachers from the New Teacher Project? Did this organization collect a fee for each teacher who was placed in a DC classroom? Did Rhee or anyone associated with her profit from this?

7:34 commenter is well known for hollow conspiracy theories aired on our local paper's comment boards. Like other claims, she cannot begin to prove anything inappropriate along the lines of self-enrichment.

Best to focus on the education attainments of the people she would attack.

I know i got it from the post news alert...i've already spreaded it all on facebook, twitter and private email. Everyone is stomping and shouting... have to have a party Nov 1... what a halloween treat,the witch is flying on her broom and leaving... (oh that's mean uh? Wooooppppeee.lol..

Yes,there are many, many more that need to get on the broom and ride out with Rhee. If the others have been identified as "BULLIES", and have attitudes that that their way is the only way to do things because it worked ten or more years ago. I can't see much changing going on because K. Henderson is a clone from the same "Dead Pool"

Let's not get to excited. Remember Dorothy not only killed the wicked witch, but she had to kill/defeat her wicked sister and the flying monkeys!!! Jason and Kaya (carbon copy) both need to follow herout the door!!

Candi, it is so dishardening that sooo many people think that Rhee has done such a great job for the children in our city. The impression that has been made is that we as educators want to make more money, never be evaluated, think the union can keep us protected from being fired even if we are ineffective. So very sad that so many citizens in the city believe this about the city's educators.. It's so unfortunate that so, so many outstanding educators got caught in this mess that Rhree created. As always DC's loss is some other systems' gain. I was very upset to see so many of my fellow educators retire, excessed, or just plain impacted out. some of them have been picked up by other systems that were hiring. There was a small mention in the paper or on the news about a classroom teacher that actually had a nervous breakdown right in her classroom (not in our system) it's just surprising that it wasn't an educator in DCPS, with all the stress that we have had to endured since MR took over. Some of the cluster people old and new need to go TOO especially Adderley with her arrogance and bullying style of management. What about the new cluster sups.that she just brought on??(more highly paid folks) I guess with Henderson acting the status quo will prevail. Hopefully and according to the media there will be a permanent replacement in November. Since MR just jumped right up to make her dramatic exit, Gray had to keep someone in that would help make the transition less disruptive.

This is a day to celebrate. God knows our beginning and our end. It was just a matter of time. He heard the prayers of the righteous. I pray Rhee doesn't try what she did to the teachers in Washington,anywhere else. She may not survive. It's time to take back what the devil took from the teachers. Pride and Integrity! Hail to the Teachers, the wicked witch is gone.

I guess she knows the true definition of a RIF--Reduction in Force. So, please tell me how it feels when the shoe is on the other foot? Perhaps, Rhee received an ultimatum... "Your services are no longer needed" Good Riddance--

Glory be to God for delivering the students, parents and staff of DCPS from this hateful evil !!!

May she never be involved in education again, unless she gets herself a much better education far in advance.

This woman clearly needs to be prosecuted for her admission of physically and mentally brutalizing "35" young children in her charge by sealing their mouths with masking tape to keep them quiet. She jokes about how they "cried" and their little mouths bled when told to pull the tape off of their lips.

This is clearly nothing to be taken lightly. She would never have done such a cruel thing to children in any other racial group. There are laws in place for this kind of cruel child abuse in the school setting. While excusing herself for this, she's fired proven teachers for no reason at all.

In the rush for "reform," of any kind, M Rhee obviously was never adequately vetted.

When I write this blog, I am writing in the capacity of a blogger. Thanks to first amendment rights in this country, I am expressing myself through my right to freedom of speech and freedom of expression. Ms. Rhee, not I created the image of a Witch when she posed on Time with a broom. I am simply continuing the theme Ms. Rhee created for herself.

When I become a WTU official, I plan to advocate as I have always done for the rights of public education, our students and public school teachers and school personnel. Mr. Levi welcome to my personal blog.

The Washington Teacher

______________________________________Comment by Levi Stamper"By posting a photo of a pair of witch's shoes, from the Wizard of Oz, I can only infer that you're calling Ms Rhee a witch. Is that the level of professionalism I should expect of a DC PS and WTU official? Out in the real world, this type of expression would ruin a reputation. I suppose it's par for the course when dealing the the WTU. Please prove me wrong. My son attends Maury Elementary, for now."

Mr. Stamper, with due respect, when has mud-slinging, name calling and other propaganda techniques been considered unprofessional. This is the "NATURE OF THE GAME". Just this morning the Rep. party ran an ad showing a candidate in West Virginia aiming a gun as part of a campaign ad. How unprofessional is that!!!! So much so that they pulled the ad. I'm not sure what the reference to your son was all about????? what does your son at Maury have to do the Candi's pictures or comments????

HALLELUJAH TIS DONE!!!!!!!! Oh what a step in the right direction. @ Candi, thanks for letting the person know that Rhee did indeed represent herself as "a witch". Additionally, he should feel free to TAKE and PLACE his kids anywhere he darn well pleases. Next steps are to get rid of all of the rest of Rhee's cronnies, Kaya included who had the nerve to say some very outrageous and ill informed comments; Jason Kramas, Mr Teacher of the Year wo suddenly knows everything about teaching after what,2 yrs; all the special ed know nothings they gotta go too. While we're at it, lets go after the incompetent principals that are left.

I think your response to Levi Stamper is inappropriate. Obviously you have the right to say what you want -- his comment never indicated you didn't. He was criticizing (perhaps justifiably, perhaps not) the professionalism and content of what you posted. You have the right to say what you want -- you don't have the right to not be critiqued.

What kind of professionalism is it to justify firing close to 300 teachers by saying "I got rid of teachers who hit children; I got rid of teachers who abused children" and thereby slandering an entire group of people who did nothing wrong? Ms. Rhee presented herself as the tough lady who can make tough choices and couldn't care less about the concerns of others... or maybe I should just say this: if the shoes fit...

I'm in NYC, UFT Teacher. I want to tell all the members in the DCPS great job by supporting each other, for showing solidarity, and for informing the public to vote Fenty out.

Candi, I do understand the reason for using a picture of the wicked witch's ruby slippers. I truly feel it's appropos and the symbolism fits Rhee's attitude towards the teaching profession and the union. Love it! If I were in DC, I would vote for you and Saunders.

Potter:You have the right to your opinion as do I. I would have to agree to disagree with you. I never said that people can't critique me nor did I infer that in my message. Of course people can critique whomever they like just as bloggers have the right to select pictures to use on their blogs. As someone who blogs pretty frequently (usually 1 time weekly), I find that at some point no matter what I write or post- some people will find something personally offensive. It is really hard to please everyone. That goes with the territory of being a blogger and putting one's personal ideas out in a forum like this. My goal is to have people look beyond the things we disagree on and facilitate discussion on the more important issues.

In my 42 years of teaching I was only carefully evaluated one time (yes, one time!) This was when I was being considered for Mentor Teacher for my district. The state required a thorough process along with teacher input. I was interviewed and observed by other teachers, as well as administrators. The progress of my students was carefully examined.

Why are teachers not carefully evaluated? Here's my guess: For many years districts were absolutely desperate for teachers, especially in "inner-city" classrooms. Once these teachers were hired, all administration cared about was keeping them. Don't forget that 50%of all new teachers quit during the first five years. I believe it was much worse in urban districts. We are now in a deep recession and that's why we're suddenly interested in evaluating teachers. Make no mistake, we know how to do it, but of course it can't be done with one ten-dollar group test.

Contrary to belief,the evaluation of the teacher is done by administration. Unions do not hire, fire, or evaluate. Administrators do.

I have read that Rhee replaced fired teachers with inexperienced teachers from an organization she started. Is this true? Is money paid to these organizations for each teacher hired? If so, why would this be when there are many fully qualified, experienced teachers available at this time? No fee would have to be paid by hiring experienced teachers.

Rhee has no financial interest in her old organization and does not benefit from any hires. It is a nonprofit. And if you don't think there is a hefty cost-per-hire for screening and hiring so-called "experienced" teachers, that is a little naive.

Do you really think anyone is making big bucks from public school disasters? Kaplan isn't== it makes money from college-level disasters. The contractors, almost all nonprofits, who run a very few DC schools, are almost all nonprofits.

For profit-making firms in the "education industry," there is so much chaos, often union-caused, that profit margins are nonexistent.

Do you really think all the do-gooders piling into the inviting (because it is so very screwed up by generations of bad administrators and declining instructional staff and incompetent school boards) are doing it to make money?

Show me how Microsoft or Eli Broad or one of those guys makes money by the continued production of socially promoted illiterates and other mal-educated kids?

I do know one thing, all teachers who are employed, regardless of their success in educating kids, get paid.

The one good thing about the election and that is also highlighted by this mean-spirited, totally unprofessional post is that there is now a bright light on the AFT and the WTU. As evidenced by the depressing number of commenters who seem to rejoice in returning to the basement of US education, the unions put teachers well above students. The nation will be watching what happens in DC, and if the reforms roll back, look for Federal control. Which would be much, much worse than anything you experienced under the capable leadership of Rhee. Have your moment now, but I guarantee that you will be either let down by Gray (which will pleasantly surprise the rest of the city), or it will be a trainwreck. The battle might be over, but the war's just starting.

Didn't realize but should have known that there was so much negativity and hatred brewing inside our teachers and school officials in this city. How telling. Ms. Rhee had to be tough considering how messed up this town is. Amazing we'd expect teachers to make all the difference in certain areas given how messed up some of our households and youth in this city. Gangsters by 14! At least Ms. Rhee made some lasting changes, you mudslingers are just blowing hot air.

DCPS TEACHERS -- DON'T SPLIT THE VOTE BY VOTING FOR ELIZABETH DAVIS. THE RACE IS CLEARLY SAUNDERS/PETERSON -- ANYONE ELSE WON'T BE FOR THE TEACHERS. GEORGE PARKER IS SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MESS THAT HAS BECOME OF THE CURRENT UNION. NATHAN HAS WORKED STEADFAST FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THE TEACHERS AND EDUCATION AND PETERSON HAS PROVEN HER LEADERSHIP IN HER ABILITY TO SYNTHESIZE INFORMATION AND GET TO THE CORE OF THE ISSUES. DON'T VOTE TO SPLIT THE VOTE. VOTE TO SEND A MESSAGE THAT YOU WANT YOUR UNION BACK! SAUNDERS/PETERSON ALL THE WAY!

What a minute, isn't this Kaya Henderson the ignorant young black woman who sent the letters around to fire the probationary teachers? Has she ever been a certified and highly qualified teacher herself? Why is Parker supporting her with my union dollars? Didn't she also tell principals to name three teachers to fire? Oh no. I knew when I heard that ole a** to mouth kissing George Parker dripping her name out of his nasty mouth this was another sell out. OK. Call Nathan Saunders. Call Vincent Gray. Do not bring her to my community or my neighborhood or my church Vincent Gray! She is my enemy. She is the enemy of my children, and my family! Vincent Gray I do not want to see you with her. She is bad news. I did not vote for Fenty, Rhee or their cronies. I voted for Vincent Gray. What is Vincent Gray going to do bring Peter Nickles and Ronald Moten to show he going to stay with a strong Attorney General and services to youth next. Dumb political strategy, these same people will be helping to get Vincent Gray unelected next. Vincent Gray ought to not sabotage his education plans with Michelle Rhee and Adrian Fenty cronies. Elect Nathan Saunders and Candi Peterson and we ain't got to worry about this. Tell Kaya Henderson don't get too confortable we will be coming for her soon. This is the same kind of game they always play on us. Teachers must be careful and vigilant. Celebrate right now but watch Rhee's black face. What is Nathan's view on her? if Parker knows her I know Nathan knows her even better. I know I do not like her from what I have heard about . Find out for us, Mrs. Peterson.

Henderson will be a capable, trustworthy and effective DCPS leader. She will continue to strengthen the teacher corps, improve teacher evaluation, and consider additional school closings. All of this, and more, are part of Vince Gray's desire to continue with school reform.

The chances of him firing or forcing out Henderson are low, but still higher than the chances of him rehiring teachers who were terminated for a variety of reasons by the departing chancellor.

I don't agree with all the negative rhetoric about Rhee, but am glad she's gone. However, if you don't think there is money to be made in education.......!!!! You really think that the Washington, Post (Kaplan) are in it for the love of black children, give me a break they are for profit and kaplan is there sole source of money. If it's not called Kaplan it's catapult or some other name at the school level, aka supplementary educaiton. There is so much money in education, reading remediation programs under Bush, google it don't take my word for it. Even the Feds. investigated. This is America, it's always follow the money trail.

the cost for hiring experienced teachers cannot be more than the cost to hire TFA and DC Teaching Fellows.

I am a DC Teaching Fellow, which is a program operating under Rhee's company - the New Teacher Project. DC Schools paid HALF of my graduate school education and guaranteed me a job when I had no teaching experience.

As soon as they got their degrees, half of my classmates left DCPS (and got retro checks in the mail).

I, too, wonder if Rhee is getting any ongoing kickbacks from this nonprofit. Is she a paid board member?

Marvin, surely you know that managers of nonprofits can award themselves large salaries, especially if there is little or no oversight of the organization.

Yes, there is expense involved with hiring people in any organization, but why would Rhee hire inexperienced teachers from agencies that required fees when she could have used the opportunity (afforded by the recession) to get the very best teachers for the children she ostensibly wanted to help? Did she have a relationship with these organizations or with the people in them?

Rhee had a golden opportunity to hire the best teachers possible for DC children and yet she did not. That says it all for me.

Unbelievable about how many of you are cheering over a defeat for DC's youth. And the comments here go WAY over the line, no doubt inspired by the tasteless image that accompanies this post. If you think parents are in any way aligned with your thinking, you are wrong. And it will be much harder for the union's incompetence to make us move out of the city this time, as much as I know most of you enjoyed presiding over empty classrooms. Keep it up, and reap what you sow.

Washington Teacher (like the new pic) please don't allow others such as Mr. Stamper throw you off your game. I am sure you get haters all the time and I know in this current political season with your own election there are probably more. You entry was about the important news of Rhee's resignation. Excuse me, the happy news of Rhee's resignation. You and other teachers, who have filled this blog faithfully, are as much of the reason that Rhee has made this decision. Let's face it, Rhee is a coward, a bully always ready to boast about commitment to the cause (children) but never really possessing any. As soon as the climate changed she picked up her marbles and ran. We have seen this time and time again. All the people who are supposedly so dedicated to the kids quitting on the kids including parents like Mr. Stamper. So superficial, they will leave their children with anybody for the majority of the day because they just want to subconsciously quit on their own kids. It is always somebody else’s fault their child did not get an education. No way they can live in the same household and not know their child cannot read, write, or do arithmetic. They cannot hold an intelligent age appropriate conversation, read a label or the newspaper or count the grocery list accurately. This is not teachers fault. It is the parents fault. Period. End of story. What I despise is but for the weak WTU teachers would have dropped this burden long ago. More importantly the reason others across the country even know any opposition exists to Rhee's ideas and actions in Washington DC is you and Nathan. We would have never known opposition existed from the actions of the WTU. Parker, is useless. Mr.Stamper may not be who he is at all. He may be a plant of your opponents or Rhee herself. Yesterday, we did the PSAT in our high school. Teachers were smiling ear to ear. Teachers were whispering, "The witch is dead..." Your blog entry, its picture representation and ensuing responses are absolutely on the money for the masses of teachers in the schools. The community feels the same way. So now, let me have a go at it, "The Witch is dead. May she fall in the grave she so aptly dug for herself and Adrian Fenty." I will say DCPS educated alot of intelligent people because they went to the polls and got rid of Fenty. I have never been as proud of voters since Barack Obama's election.

I read The Washington Teacher last night that was sent out to members. I saw the candidates platform. Im voting for Nathan and you. I like what your plans are for the future of our union. Your blog is the bomb, girl! Keep up the great work.

I still remember the day the picture of Rhee appeared on the cover of TIME. I quickly wrote to the magazine asking if the photographer depicted her as a witch on purpose "or is it my imagination?" I never received an answer but it wasn't long before I knew.

The brilliance of that photograph was the fact that the photographer saw then what others would see much later. It was a perfect example of the adage "A picture is worth a thousand words."

Just want to point out that, if you want to know where Gray's heading with this: Kaya Henderson is an African=American Rhee. She's comes out of TFA. She led the effort to create IMPACT. As PP pointed out, Henderson *is* Rhee.

You had your bite at the apple, and you missed. Gray is clearly sending a message: "Thanks for the votes. Now back to Rhee-form."

My Dad named me Candi with an i. Thank God for him ;--) Otherwise you'd be calling me Markie. What was my Mom thinking? Luv her anyway. My parents Lish (like delicious) & Clif. Gram, Pap, Mommie Ella & Bush. My grandparents had a profound influence & impact on my life. I miss & love them immensely. If my parents hadn't been my parents I would have wanted them to be my friends. They are such "cool" people. At the very least they would both be on my party invitation list if we weren't related.
I'm thankful for the love of my family. Because of the love & support of my family & favor from God, I was destined for really great things.